Laurie Burkitt On Social Media

Social commerce. Some marketers, such as computer maker Dell and flower delivery service 1-800-Flowers, wised up in 2009 and sold their wares on social networking sites. More marketers will figure out that social media is an active sales channel, not just a place for branding or monitoring consumer chatter.

The Unconventional Wisdom

Marketers are still focusing on building up their own Web sites, but the Web will not remain as destination-oriented as it is now. The continued rise of the social Web will create a greater need for marketers to build off-site content, to give consumers more information and buying power within ads sites.

The Misplaced Assumption

Yes, Google and Yahoo are search engines, but that doesn't mean they aren't also social media companies. Marketers should keep their eyes on search giants and their growing partnerships with social media sites. As search and social media integrate, targeted advertising and retargeting will become more advanced.

The Watch List

Google. Google Wave isn't making much of a splash yet, but if it merges with Gmail, Google's free e-mail platform, it could become a big player in the social media space.

Oprah Winfrey. Oprah already has a loyal fan base, but over the next year she'll be pulling them together online in preparation for her big network move in 2011.

LinkedIn. Facebook gets all the attention, but corporate-oriented LinkedIn has pulled in business bigwigs. Its dominance in the business-to-business marketing sphere will build.

The Bold Prediction

Geo-targeted marketing will be huge. Thanks to social networkers who check their profiles from their phones and to Google's acquisition of AdMob, marketers will be able to hone their promotions and coupons for more one-on-one targeting and addressable ads within social media.

What do you see coming in 2010? Give us your predictions on this topic by commenting below.